


Until Death do us Apart

by imgilmoregirl



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, First Love, First Time, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Forgiveness, Love Letters, Making Up, Mistakes, Romance, Secret Marriage, Secret Relationship, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:48:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22938943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imgilmoregirl/pseuds/imgilmoregirl
Summary: Diana Barry was in love with Jerry Baynard, but she had to given him up and broke his heart when she thought she was going to inevitably be sent to Paris.Now, she is at Queen's with her dear bosom friend, experiencing a few more years of freedom, however that only gave her the right inspiration to fight for the forbidden love she was so afraid of.Lead by her own mistakes, Diana will find out that the things you can do in the rush of your feelings can change the whole course of your future.
Relationships: Diana Barry & Anne Shirley, Diana Barry & Jerry Baynard, Diana Barry/Anne Shirley, Diana Barry/Jerry Baynard, Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley, Ruby Gillis & Moody Spurgeon MacPherson
Comments: 13
Kudos: 62





	1. Star-crossed lovers and unwritten letters

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, dear reader.  
> This is my first AWAE fic and it had to be about the ship that stole my heart. You'll find lots of hints of Shirtbert too, of course, and other couples that might come, but this is my fix-it story for the unfinished romance of Diana and Jerry and I truly hope you enjoy it.  
> Also, this fic is rated M for future chapters and it will have a warning when it contains mature scenes, as I know the Anne fandom is mostly younger than the ones I usually write to.

She had never been good with words. Not the way Anne was, at least. Diana was a practical person, she had learned to answer formally to people who wrote to her and to never expose her heart on a piece of paper. It all changed when she met a certain redhead and started to see the world in a whole other way. She started trying to write stories and imagine different scenarios to escape from her tough reality, but when she was sat in front of her desk in her childhood bedroom, feeling as if she had been sentenced to death, she couldn't imagine a way things could turn out good to her, nor could she find the right words to write the letter she needed to send.  
It was a surprise when her exigent mother walked into the room, deeply touched by Marilla Cuthbert's speech. For the first time, Diana saw some true humanity in Eliza Barry's eyes as she took a seat beside her on the bed and asked Diana if she had ever been happy. The answer was as difficult to pronounce as it probably was to hear. Yes, she had, but not there, not in the house in which she fled caged and bounded to a future she didn't want. Not where she didn't have a voice and her dreams meant nothing.  
There was a brief understanding nod coming from the mother, before Eliza stood up, not daring to look at Diana when her eyes were so full of the tears both of them had been taught to hold back. Then came the words of freedom that the seventeen-year-old girl had never ever excepted to hear from her. She could go to Queen's. Eliza didn't wish Diana to live a restrict and unhappy life as she did, she wanted her to have a chance to life out a little more before inevitably getting married.  
The shock prevented Diana from thanking her before she left, but she knew well enough that her mother was aware that allowing her to go to Queen's was definitely the best gift she could have ever given her. When the doorman of the bedroom closed again, the tears came and the girl looked down at the pen she had been holding uselessly for about an hour and finally seemed to find the right inspiration inside herself to write what she needed.  
It didn't have to be beautiful or touching, it just had to be true.  
She was sorry.  
She was wrong.  
She felt more than she could ever find words to describe.  
She missed him.  
...  
"Are you alright, Diana?" Anne Shirley-Cuthbert asked the following morning of her arrival at Queen's.  
They were walking side by side through the large streets of Charlottetown, arms crossed together. She had been quiet every since she woke up, hearing attentively at what it seemed, as Anne rambled about Gilbert Blythe and how wonderful it had been to be kissed by the man she loved, but in fact Diana's mind was very far away from there, thinking about Green Gables' barn and if right now, a certain boy would be resting there with her letter in hands.  
"Yeah, I'm fine... I'm happy to be here with you."  
"So am I," said Anne pulling her closer and nestling her head on the girl's neck. "But you seem to be a little distant. Are you sure your family is fine with you not going to Paris?"  
Diana shrugged.  
"Deep down I know they aren't, but Marilla convinced my mother somehow and I think that whatever she said changed my parents' opinion about what really matters."  
"I must say Marilla is a very persuasive person," Anne agreed. "But then, why do you look so sad?"  
A long sigh left Diana. She knew she couldn't hide anything from her dear bosom friend, they were kindred spirits after all and they sensed when something was wrong with the other.  
"It's Jerry," the girl confessed. "I didn't want to leave before making amends, but I had no time to talk to him, so I wrote a letter to say how sorry I was and how much he meant to me. I'm just not sure if he can give me his forgiveness."  
Anne suddenly stopped walking, forcing her to stop to since their arms were still tangled together. The redhead looked down to her, seeming to be hurt to see her so worried.  
"Oh, my darling, Diana! Do you love him?"  
"I... Oh, Anne! I think I do!"  
Without caring about whoever was watching them, Diana threw her arms around Anne's skinny frame, hugging and allowing herself to be hugged. It was a comfort to know she wasn't all alone in Paris, suffering in silence, but that she could share her true feelings with a friend.  
After a few moments, Anne pulled away, reaching out a hand to fix Diana's hat on top of her head, once it had fallen left a bit. She smiled bravely at her and took both her gloved hands, squeezing them with encouragement.  
"I know how much Jerry cares about you, Diana and I'm sure he is going to answer to your letter and you two will be together. Just like Gilbert and I," Anne reassured. "And don't worry, if the letter doesn't come, fate will still reunite you with your beloved."  
Diana laughed, because it sounded too much like fiction to actually happen. She loved Anne for trying to cheer her up, however she also knew that her friend sometimes imagined way too much.  
"I'm not that sure, Anne. But thank you anyway, you're the most darling friend I could have asked for," she answered with a sigh. "And what none of us has even wondered about is that even if Jerry forgives me, our love is still forbidden. My parents would never allow me to marry him."  
"They have been convinced to let you come to Queen's, why can't they been convinced that you deserve to be happy with the love of your life?"  
The love of her life, the way Anne put it in line made Diana blush deeply, her cheeks gaining a rich rosy colour. For a moment she imagined herself serving tea to Jerry and their children in a beautiful blueish house. They would speak French and never argue in front of the kids. They would stroll to Green Gables and meet up with the Blythes. Anne and her would teach at the local school. Gilbert would have a beautiful clinic in his father's lands. And Jerry... And Jerry what? Her mind screamed. That was why they couldn't get married. If she told her parents that she was in love with a man who was meant to spend his life helping out Matthew Cuthbert at his barn, they would both have a heart attack.  
"I shouldn't have sent that letter. I'll only break his heart again when my parents find out and thorn us apart."  
"No, Diana," said Anne. "You can't give up your own happiness this way. Let the future come, because for now your parents doesn't need to know anything."  
Breathing in, Diana nodded.  
"Maybe you're right. Now let's get back before Ruby and the girls get alarmed by our abscense."  
Agreeing with a wave of her head, Anne took her arm again and they started to walk back to the house that would be their home for the next two years and Diana promised herself not to think so much about the future. Whatever had to happen would happen anyway and she could do nothing about it but to enjoy the remaining days of youth she still had.  
...  
There was an untouched cup of tea pulled aside on the step of Green Gables' front porch. Jerry was sat on the floor, taking a break from his hard work at the barn, a dirty piece of paper in his hands, crumpled from the many, many times it had been unfolded and read. Her cursive letter was beautiful and delicate just like she was herself and her words brought a pain to his chest that the boy didn't have a clue on how to cure.  
He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Matthew Cuthbert coming from inside the house with a comforting smile. The old man too, had a cup o tea, but which was still hot and being much appreciated. He took a seat beside the boy, eyeing the letter he had in hands.  
"What is it about Jerry?" He asked. "This little piece of paper seems to be disturbing you."  
Jerry's shoulders shrunk. Anne was the only one who knew what had happened and was the only one he trusted enough to open up with. Sometimes he wished he could talk to his family, but everyone was always too busy or was too young to understand his conflicted feelings. Yet, it was Matthew, who was like a father to him, that was there silently offering his time to help with whatever he needed and it made Jerry feel safe and at home.  
"Diana Barry wrote me a letter," the boy started. "She... I... We have a complicated story together."  
Matthew arched an eyebrow at him, taking a sip of his tea.  
"I didn't know you had a story with Diana Barry at all."  
"No one was supposed to know, her parents would freak out," Jerry answered with a shrug. "It was a short thing. Meaningless I thought, but now she says she has feelings for me and that she is sorry she broke my heart when she thought she would be forced to go to Paris."  
At his side, Matthew had quite a wondering look on his face as if he was lost on his own memories or something like that. His gaze was fixed on the grass, very far away from there, but when he nodded Jerry notice that Matthew seemed to be taken back to reality.  
"Well, to me it sounds anything but meaningless," the old man stated. "What are you going to write to her?"  
"I'm not sure if I will ever answer at all, Mr. Cuthbert. I'm not good with words, my calligraphy is terrible and I don't know if I should give myself any hope of being with her when I know that it is impossible."  
Furrowing, Matthew shook his head and place one of his large hands on Jerry's knee.  
"Don't do this, boy," he said. "Listen to someone who pushed away the one he wanted too. You have to answer her, even if later on you two have no future. Don't discard the possibility just now."  
Swallowing hard, Jerry looked down at the letter, remembering about how sweet Diana's lips had been on his in the few times they shared stolen kisses.  
"I don't know what to say," Jerry admitted. "Even if I was to write her something, I wouldn't know how to express myself."  
Matthew laughed.  
"Yeah, I had that problem too. But you know what? You don't need to be eloquent, just to be sincere," he advised. "I think three little words would do it."  
With a final smile, Matthew made his way back inside the house, leaving Jerry to wonder if he could ever guess which words he was talking about.


	2. Saturdays are made for suitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana and Jerry make amends.  
> William Barry has news.

Diana was feeling lonely. It was lunch time and they had been served a delicious pumpkin soup, some bread and cheese, but she could barely touch her food. The girls were hysterical. After a whole first week of studies, it was finally time to receive some well deserved visits from their beloveds, however Diana was the only girl who had no one coming.  
A letter had arrived earlier that week. It made her heart race and her head spin until she found out it was her mother who had send it, talking about how much Minnie May was missing her. The deception couldn't be put into words, and so Diana wrote back saying she missed her little sister too, but wished to spend the weekend with her aunt Josephine instead of receiving a visit from the family. That was a lie, of course. She had no mood to get out of the house and her aunt was too daring and sincere to be a good company in a moment like this, so she was fated to lay in bed, staring at the ceiling with tears blurry her eyes.  
She heard the giggles coming from downstairs and felt her lower lip tremble with her urge to cry. Diana turned around on the bed, hiding her face on the mattress and blaming herself for her own miserable situation. Had she not being such a horrible person with Jerry, she could be writing him another letter now, saying how much she longed to see him. But instead, she was there, all alone, crying her heart out while her friends were courted by the handsome boys they loved. It was so stupid that she couldn't even understand how she got there.  
Sniffing, Diana rubbed her own eyes with her fists, telling herself that she couldn't spend her whole life attached to a lost love. She swallowed hard and heart a knock on the door that made her sat up quickly straightening her hair and clothes as she dried her eyes on the sleeves of her blouse, facing up the walls and trying to recompose herself.  
"Come in, Anne," the girl said out loud. "What is it? Has Gilbert lost his train or is he just late?"  
"It is not Anne."  
Suddenly, Diana's heart skipped a beat. The air seemed to have left her lungs for good and her hands started to tremble. She slowly turned around to see Jerry standing up by the now closed door.  
"What... What are you doing here?" She asked in awe. "You didn't answer my letter."  
"Yeah, I didn't."  
His face was solemn and Diana couldn't move under his heart felt glare. It was like she was back at the forest, throwing his gifts on the ground and leaving him. She felt the weight of her actions and it made her want to start crying all over again.  
"I thought you hated me."  
Jerry giggled.  
"Hate you?" He queried. "Diana, je t'aime."  
Jumping out of the bed, Diana threw herself on his arms and sealed her lips on his. It was a different kiss from any other they had shared, it was heated, like the one she had witnessed between Gilbert and Anne. It was full of a passion she didn't yet know, but was eager to discover.  
"Je t'aime, Jerry." Diana said between their lips. "I'm sorry about the things I said before."  
"I know, you said that in the letter."  
She let out a laugh and held onto him. Jerry was supporting Diana up so they could look eye into eye and she felt wonderful to be in his arms that way. Playing with the ends of his hair, the girl kissed his jaw and slid down to the floor, reaching for his hands and holding them tight in hers.  
"Oh, Jerry, I'm so glad you're here," said Diana joyfully, before furrowing at him for a second at the realization that he shouldn't be there, but downstairs with all the other boys. "I'm not complaining at all but how exactly did you get to my room? The house's rules are very restrictive."  
A wicked little smile filled Jerry's lips.  
"Well, the kitchen's backdoor was open, so no one saw me," he confided, then pulled down the bag he had falling from one shoulder and opened it, taking the book and the little sheep he had given her all those months ago. "I thought you could want them back. But if you don't I won't get offended."  
Diana smiled, taking the small objects from his hands in wonder, as if they were made of gold.  
"Oh, don't be silly. I was more than sad to have left them behind. These are the gifts I have most cherished in my whole life."  
Jerry cupped her cheek, tracing his thumb along her rosy skin before he bent to kiss her again. Briefly but sweetly.  
"Ma belle, Diana, are you sure you want to be with me? I have nothing to offer you."  
"You have your heart and your love, that's enough to me."  
"But what about your parents?"  
Looking down at the floor, Diana took a seat on the bed, pulling his gifts away as she tried to be reasonable.  
"It won't be easy, Jerry. But they don't need to know about us just now, let me finish my studies here at Queen's and then maybe I can get a job as a teacher and we can show them that we can make it on our own."  
Nodding, Jerry kneeled in front of her, kissing the knuckles of her hand.  
"Then I will do my best, I will work and try to give you a decent life."  
She laughed in happiness and disbelief, unable to convince herself that this moment was real. I was almost like a proposal and it made her stomach get full of butterflies and an indescribable happiness burn in her veins. Her worries seemed to be all silly childish thought now and she was more sure of what she wanted for her future than she had ever been before.  
"Jerry?" Anne's voice came from the door, startling them.  
Both looked up at her wide-eyed frozen frame, watching as a big smile slowly melted in her face. Jerry jumped up to his feet taking some steps away from Diana as if he had been caught doing something terribly wrong.  
"Anne! I..."  
The redhead squealed in happiness, cutting out his sentence in the middle as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight for a moment before pulling away to look back at Diana.  
"Did you make amends?"  
"Yeah," the raven-haired girl answered. "But what did you want?"  
"Oh, nothing! I was only going to ask if you wanted to take Gilbert back to the station with me later, but no matter. I'll leave you alone."  
Walking backwards and smiling widely, Anne disappeared through the door. Jerry glanced back at Diana, his mesmerized expression becoming a smile that ended up in laughter and finally... Finally she noticed that she was starting to walk towards her own happiness.  
...  
It was a known fact that Diana couldn't stand her parents' company for long. They were very tiring people, their ideals usually drove her silently mad as she ate a biscuit or tried to swallow some tea when the words she couldn't say were simply trapped on her throat. But that Sunday morning, they were specially irritating.  
She was sat on an elegant chair of a far more elegant restaurant at the heart of Charlottetown and even though everyone around her was all fake smiles and satisfied glares, she couldn't be feeling more mortified. It was supposed to be a nice family brunch. They would eat, talk amenities and say how much they missed each other. Only it never happened. Instead, Diana started to speak about how much she was loving to learn how to teach and was cut off by her father who said he had met the perfect man for her.  
The news, of course, didn't please her, but the fact that the said suitor was months away from arriving Prince Edward Island, did. Apparently her father was in contact with an old friend from England, whose son he was going to send over to Avonlea in an attempt to expand their whool business and once the ever dutiful William Barry got the information, he simply had to mention he had a daughter in age to get married. Now the English man was believing that not only he would have his son richer than he already was, but also married to a pretty girl. It was so unfair how her life was being decided for herself that Diana wanted to throw her scone right on her parents' smiley faces. But a tiny little part of her felt avenged for being in a relationship that none of them knew about, one that brought her the kind of love none of them had ever experienced before. A true one.  
"When I get married," started Minnie May from where she was, deliberately running a finger along the ice of her cake. "I expect him to be old."  
Eliza blinked, surprised and turned her head to her youngest child, with a puzzled look on her face.  
"Why would you want that?"  
The little girl smiled wickedly, bringing her index finger up and licking it, the way their mother most disapproved.  
"Because then he will die and I won't need to get married again until I want to."  
Diana contracted her lips, trying not to laugh, as her father started a fuss. Minnie May was hardly reprehended and after that, the Barrys decided to leave. It was a relief for Diana, because it meant that their time talking about her stupid English suitor was over, but she was sorry that her sister still had a long way home with both their parents on the train and would most likely hear more about how terrible her little innocent comment was.  
It was a quarter past three when Diana finally arrived home, more tired than she had been in weeks. The pure effect of meeting up with her family. She took off her hat and gloves, then made her way to the visitor's room, smiling when she saw Jerry sat in a corner, a book on his hands as he probably tried to not look up at Anne and Gilbert's caresses.  
"Hello," she said, making all three of them turn to her. "Happy Suitors Saturday."  
Anne giggled.  
"Oh, we are certainly happy you got to escape your parents," replied the redhead. "The other girls went out with the boys for a picnic, but Gilbert and I didn't want to leave Jerry all alone."  
Walking towards where her boyfriend was, Diana smiley shyly and took a seat beside him. Truth be told she wanted to kiss his lips and hug him tight, but Gilbert had no idea of what was happening between them and Jerry was only there with the excuse that he was Anne's adopted brother.  
"I told her they didn't need to stay. I'm fine with being on my own."  
"I have no doubt, Jer. But does Anne ever listens to anyone?"  
"I do," Anne protested.  
Gilbert stood up, straightening up his suit jacket before offering his arm to the redhaired girl.  
"Well it's a beautiful day, we should join everyone for the picnic," he suggested.  
Diana looked at Jerry and then down to the floor, wrapping her hand on his as she shook her head.  
"We will stay, but you should go," she answered. "Jerry came to his lessons and I would be a terrible teacher if I took him out instead of actually teaching."  
"Oh, yeah," Gilbert babbled. "Good luck then."  
They left with a knowingly blink from Anne and Diana moved to close the door behind them, only them being able to look fully at Jerry. He had pulled his book away and had his glare fixed on her, wearing the same old clothes and ragged boots. Nothing her parents would ever approve. Nothing she had ever thought she would want. And everything she most cherished now.  
Diana held out a hand and Jerry made his way to her pulling her close and finally pressing his lips against hers.


	3. The Decisions We Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Gilbert's engagement bring up some questions to Diana and Jerry's minds.

The great affair of life were the adventures, used to say Anne. Diana never questioned that, because she knew her friend was right, but when the adventures crossed her path, she was always too hesitant or too reckless about them. It was the case of that particular week, when after their final exams, she and Anne packed their bags and parted to aunt Josephine's house.  
The summer break was about to start and, with that came the fact she had to go back home for a few weeks, but the thing was, Diana didn't want to come back. Her aunt's suggestion for her to stay in Charlottetown as her companion was Diana's salvation. Anne would come for just a couple of days before going to Green Gables, but it was enough to make her feel twice as comfortable, although a part of her wished she could have some time in Avonlea too, but only with Jerry and her friends and very far away from her parents.  
She was wearing purple for the first time. Her mother used to say blue was her color, so all her clothes were based in one single pallet of shades that started from royal to cerulean. However times were changing, Diana was feeling more independent and her relationship with Jerry had given her some sort of courage she never had before. Wearing purple made her feel twice as brave. It was like crossing all lines from her old life to a new one, breaking her mother's rules and becoming a woman of her own.  
Standing by aunt Jo's door, Diana smiled, deciding that this time she was being definitely reckless, not hesitant and it made her proud of herself.  
"You look happy," Anne pointed out. "Has Jerry written to you?"  
"Not really, but then I sent him an answer for his last letter only yesterday," she answered. "I just like the perspective of living out such a free live as aunt Jo's for a few weeks."  
"I think with some good sense of mind would like that," the redhead agreed just a second before the door was open to show their old friend Cole Mackenzie.  
A smile stretched over Diana's lips when she saw him, because after Anne and aunt Josephine, Cole had been the one person who had taught her more about the real meaning of life and love. The tall boy couldn't resist but threw his arms around them both, gathering the girls into a tight embrace that brought Diana such a safe feeling that she didn't long to pull away.  
"Oh, it is so good to see you," Cole exclaimed releasing them so he could look into their eyes whist he spoke. "I can't believe I've seen those pretty faces way less this year than I did when you two lived in Avonlea."  
Anne giggled.  
"Well, it appears that college is really tougher than school."  
"I would agree with that, if I wasn't being homeschooled," said Cole. "Although aunt Jo is begging me to go to Paris and study art there."  
"That's fantastic," Diana concluded, eyes shining with happiness for her friend. "You could make a wonderful career there, Cole."  
His shoulders shrunk a bit and he pushed the door open fully.  
"Maybe," the boy mumbled. "Won't you come in?"  
It was easy to forget simple things like entering the house when you were in company of such good friends, but after the reminder, Diana and Anne took their bags and send them off to their room along with her aunt's butler. They walked down the hall and into the dining room where a full afternoon tea was already served right in front of Josephine Barry who sat elegantly on the head chair of the table.  
"Jo, look who is here," Cole announced.  
The old woman turned around to look up at the girls and rose from her place, kissing Diana's cheek and then Anne's.  
"How are you, my darlings?"  
"Wonderful," Anne happily answered. "Oh, aunt Jo, I have so much to tell you. Gilbert and I are making plans for a wedding right after my graduation!"  
Josephine's face wrinkled with her most delighted expression and she took Anne's pale hands in hers, dragging the young lass to the table.  
"Tell me more."  
For a second Diana stood still, wishing she could tell her aunt about her relationship with Jerry too and all of their plans, but they had none and she couldn't say a thing, because their love should be a secret. A part of her envied Anne for being free to choose who she loved and it brought a bitter taste to her mouth, even when she got to seat and drink the sweetest tea three cubes of sugar could make.  
She heard all the stories about how Gilbert had gone down on his knee during a dinner at Green Gables last weekend and how he told Anne he wanted to spend the rest of his life taking care of her and assuring she was the happiest woman alive. All she could do was to fake a smile and try to imagine if one day she would be able to experience the same happiness her best friend was living.  
...  
"Writing letters again, are you?" Matthew Cuthbert asked as he lit he fire, watching with the corner of his eyes as, Jerry Baynard scribbled something in a piece of paper at the floor right next to him.  
The lad looked up at him, sharing a tiny smirk with Matthew that was full of secrecy.  
"Oui, sir."  
Matthew smiled back, raising up to his feet before taking a seat on the old swinging chair. He sighed as soon as he found a nice position for his back, relieving some of the pain that the day of work had brought him. Jerry continued to write in silence and he kept watching, relishing on the smile that the boy had in his lips, knowing that he and Marilla must have done something right after all.  
"You know," the old man started. "Anne has been asked, she's just in the age of getting married."  
"Oui, I'm happy for her."  
"And aren't you thinking about marriage, Jerry? Because I know your girl must be."  
Looking up a him, Jerry blinked and swallowed hard. Some blush came to his face, but he couldn't say he hadn't in fact been thinking about it, because he had and a lot. If Diana was just a common girl like him, or like Anne maybe, he would have already asked her with no regards, but she was rich and he knew deep down that their relationship had started only to end too soon.  
"I - I can't, Mr. Cuthbert," Jerry confessed. "I will never be able to ask for her hand."  
"Why not?" Matthew queried with a frown.  
A bitter laugh escaped him as Jerry pulled his belongings away, suddenly too uninspired to keep writing whatever beautiful words he was trying to say to his beloved.  
"Look at me, Mr. Cuthbert, I'm no one," the lad answered. "She is Diana Barry, she is beautiful, comes from a good notable family and has more money than mine has seen during our whole existence. I don't know why she is keeping up with this or why she even cares about me, but it is not enough. We can never have a future together."  
Pulling his pipe down, Matthew narrowed his eyes a bit, the way he did when he was thinking about things that were beyond Jerry's knowledge, then he shook his head.  
"Don't be silly, boy. Someone once told me that you need to invest on your own happiness."  
"Well, I particularly can't, sir," Jerry snorted with some frustration in voice. "The Barrys would never allow it."  
Saying that out loud had a whole new meaning for Jerry, it made him realize how close to the end this little fairytale he had been living with Diana was from the end. They had been fooling themselves between those secret meetings at Charlottetown and none of them had even thought how much hard separation would be once they were more acquainted and used to each other's company. In fact, thinking about not having her in his life anymore, made everything so pointless that Jerry wanted to punch something. However, Matthew didn't seem to share his conclusions.  
"Listen to me, Jerry," he started slowly. "I'm going to tell you something really important and you must keep it into your heart for the rest of your days, do you understand?"  
"Oui."  
"Good," Matthew said, serious like never before. "You must not let anyone come between you and Diana, or the two of you will spend the rest of your lifes wondering how things would have turned out if you had made the reckless choice and stayed together. The regret will eat you alive and one day you will look at her from the other side of the street and will realize that she hasn't been happy ever since you parted ways and it will destroy you."  
Eyebrows narrowing into a frown, Jerry tilted his head a bit, knowing that Matthew wasn't speaking only about his relationship.  
"But, what should I do then?"  
"I don't know, what do you think?"  
His eyes wandered around the living room, ending up on the lit fire, where the flames danced forming the most weird and beautiful shapes and creating some thin smoke.  
"Well... I have some relatives in Paris," the young man pointed out. "Diana speaks French, so maybe I could work more and buy us tickets to run away and start a new life there."  
A resolute grin showed up on Matthew's lips.  
"Now it seems a lot more promising."  
"What is a lot more promising?" Marilla asked coming from the kitchen and stopping beside her brother's chair.  
She was wiping her hands on a dish towel and had a curious expression taking over her whole face. Jerry could say she was the one feeling more sentimental about having Anne away, probably because they spent quite a long time together in the kitchen, or at Rachel's house. Anne was the child she could never have herself and ever since she left a hole seemed to have been open on Marilla's heart, which made her start to look for Matthew and Jerry twice as she did before.  
"Oh, it's nothing," said Matthew. "Jerry and I were just talking about our girl's engagement."  
"Ah, yes," she exclaimed taking a seat beside him. "I was just thinking about that, I was going to suggest lilys for the bouquet."  
Laughing, Jerry gathered his things and made his way up the stairs knowing that whatever came into the conversation now, was about white gowns and flowers and he really didn't need to hear that. At least, not just yet.


End file.
